Track construction



l R. H. PHILLIPS TRACK CONSTRUCTION Filed May 12, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l1,521,581 .R. H. PHILLIPS TRACK CONSTRUCTION Dec. 3o, 1.924.

Patented Dec. 30, i924.

isaiasi ,l

nonna-T H. PHInLIPs, or KENSINGTON, MARYLAND.

TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

l Application mea May i2, was;Y serialNo. 638,519.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Kensington, in the county of Montgomery and State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TrackConstructions, of which the following is aspecilication.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trackconstruction for steam and electric railways of the open track orslotted conduit type.

The fundamental purposes of the invention is` to effect material savingin the replacement and up-keep costs of both the rolling stock and thetrack by designing the latter in a novel manner to eliminate or reduceto a minimum the noise, wear and pounding action incident to the passageof the rolling stockv thereover.

An equally important purposefof" the invention is to reduce the cost of`installing the track by designing the component parts in a novel mannerto facilitate production and assembly thereof. Y t

A more specific purpose of the invention is toprovide an improvedsupporting yoke `or beam presenting rail mounting portions bridgingspaced points of support and pos'- sessing sutlicient inherentelasticity to provide for a slight exion or yielding thereof betweensaid supports'when subjected to the weight of the rolling stock passingover the track rails. Y y p l A 'further specific purpose of the inven#tion is to provide a resilient supporting bed for the yokes designed toprovide fora slight bodily movementof the latter in such manner as toeffect furthercushioning of the track rails.

Other objects and advantages of the invention not specifically statedabove will become apparent from they following detailed description andaccompanying' drawings illustrating what I now consider to be thepreferred embodiment of the principles involved. Y

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view of a railway constructedinaccordance with my invention, the slotted conduit rail supporting yokesand certain other elements being shown in side elevation. V

VF ig. 2 is a view vin side elevation clearly illustrating the relativeposition of the yokes, the yoke supporting stringers and the supportingplates underlying said stringers.

Fig. 3 is a proved yoke; y 'Fig.- t is a plan view of the yoke andStringer construction disclosed in 'Figsl l and 2. Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to.` Fig. l, but illustrating the' principlesof the invention,as applied to an electric or steam railway of the open track type. ,s

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Figs. 1v to 4, inclusive,illustrate they principles of my invention as `applied to theconstruction of an electric railway of the slotted conduit type. Asrepresented in these ligures, the track rails 5 and 6 are supported inposition by a series of transverse extend'- ing yokes 7 constructed ofsteel orf other material possessing the required degree of elasticity.

In accordance with the purposes of -my invention, it is necessary thatthe yokes 7 have the capability of yielding to provide an elasticsupport for the Vrails .5 and. 6 and to this end each yoke is fabricatedto present a pair of horizontal rail bearing beams 8 formed integral attheir inner ends with a depending U-shaped .yoke 9 and at their outerends with depending post members l0, lthe lower extremities of thelatter being directed laterally to provide the supporting feet 11. Asherein shown, the said yokes are mounted with the. feet 1l and loop 9resting, respectively,'on the outer and intermediate longitudinallyeXtending stringers 12 which are also constructed of steel or equallyelastic metal and, for the purposes ofthis invention, may convenientlyconsist of sections of discarded track rails. At points `intermediatethe said yokes, the stringers 12 are supported by metal plates 13 ofpredetermined size and thickness ywhich in turn aredisposed to restfirmly on a concrete bed 14 which is laid in position priorv to thepositioning of thepreviously mentioned elements.

perspective view of the im of separate Preferably, the stringere 127 theplates 13 and the lower portions of the yoke 7 are anchored in relativeposition by welding or by embedding the same in a further filling ofconcrete or other cementitious material 15 superimposed on'the bed 14:.

The space between the post members 10 and the loop 9 of each yoke isoccupied by a filling of concrete or similar bl'ocksidw'vhich areextended between the loops of the several yokes to provide the requiredconduit or trough for the reception ofthe-current conductors. t willalso be noted in this connection v1tl'iat=the inner ends of the cam `Sare utilized to supportthe slot rail-s 17 and the space lietwecn theserails and f the track rails 5 andf is occupied?bytheusual surfacematerial represented 'by the numeral 18. Y

Mypurposein making the slot or conduit blocks ybonded together insteadof molding` the conduit of concret-e inlfaccordancewith the-prevailingpr.actice,'is to enable 'sectional repairs 1 to fbefmade -to theportions of the conduits extending between the several yokes. Y

By making the yoke L7 of steel-designas shown,obtainr-an'elastic-support for lthe rails 5 and 6 and thereby obviat'etli'eeusu-al noise and deterioration of equipment resulting fromthepounding actionV of the-rolling stock on the railsI duringpassagethereover. 1n this connection7 lit iswpointed Out that therailbearingbeams Sbeing supported to bridge thespa'ced points4 of supportaffordedk bythe:postmembers 10 and the sides of the loop memberQfareycapableV ofa limited degree of flexion linterinedilate these points ofsupport when subjected to the weight-of therollingfstockpassingover therails 5rand 6. This' deflection, whilef exceedingly slight7 issuflicient to provide an-effective cushion for the f rails 5 1 andv 6.

yln Vaddition tothe aforementioned iieXion of the railbearing'beams 8,'1at-tai1i-atlcli tional cushi-oningfof the track vrails by :rem son ofthe particular arrangement and construction of the stringere 12 andunderlying supporting plates '13. ris-shown to vadvantage in 'Fig'. 4,the plates -13 provide spaced points of support betweeirwhich theVstringers 12, byreasonfof the elastic material composing ythe `-sameare capable yof 'a slight vertical 'Heinen sufiicient'to permit `corre-Vspending.bodily movement of the yoke 7 when subjected'tothe weight'ofthe'rolling stock. From tliisfitwill be seenthatd obtain adoublecushioningeifect f'orthe track rails by reason of theflexion ofthestringers y12 between the supports 13 in addition :to the flexion ofthe -rail'bearing'beams S between the spaced points'of -support formedintegral therewith.

1n Fig. f5 ofthe drawings, l 'have lshown the principles yof theinvention as applied to the construction of an electric or steam Vtodisposetlie rails -5 `and 6 in railway of. the open-V or paved tracktype without aconduit. The yokes 7, stringere 12 and plate 13 are y0fsubstantially the same construction as illustrated in the pre cedingfigures, the only material difference being that -the supporting posts10 at the ends yof the yoke and the intermediate loop 9 are madeof'considerably less height so as closer proxi inity .to the concretebed 14. This change results in a saving of material in the con structionoftheyokes and is permissible in view of the fact that no conduit isrequired in this type yof railway -andihence there is no necessity'formaking-the loop 9 ofthe depth disclosed' in Fig. :1. ln fact, itwould be within the--scope of .my invention as l :applied to an: .opentrack railway@ to eliminate the intermediate loop-9 andthe; posts :10and to -m-ake :the -rail `bearing beams 8 `1n one continuous lengthsupported at theends and at f'an yintermediate point on `the, :stringere12. `ln'this modified vform of-theinvention, the yokes Yareembedded =inl the customary ballast material l19 superimposed on-the tillingV ofYconcrete l2O Vin which the stringere 12 and plates 13 fare embedded.

TVVhile in the foregoing AI have disclosed what is now considered to bethe A preferred embodiment itis to be understood that various changes inthe construction, arrangement land proportion of parts/may be resortedto within the scope V'offthefappended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

l/Vhat l claim andy desire tocover by Letters Patent is:

1. In aI track construction, the combination Vof a series ofrailbearinggvyokes and a resilient supporting structure for said yokeshaving the rcapability of yielding -to permit of a slight bodilymovement ofthe lyokes under the weight. of vthe rolling stock.

2. In a trackconstruction, the combina tion of aI/series ofrailbearingfyokes con-V structed of elastic metal fabricated to provideVa resilient support for the frails and means supporting andholding'said yokes in position without interfering with theresilientacticn thereof. l

"2/lin atraok .constructioinfthe combination of a series of resilientrail bearing yokes capable lof a slight flexion inthe rail bearingportion to 'provide a resilient support for the Avrails and a resilient'supporting structure for the yokes having thecapability Iof yielding topermit a Yslight bodily movement of the yokes vertically when subjectedto the weight of the rolling stock.

4. In a track construction,fthecoinbination ofspacedtransverserailbearing beams spaced IlonOitudinally extending stringere underlying andsupporting said beams at points out of vertical alignment with the railbearing portions of the beams andga plurality of vspaced supportsunderlying each stringer at points intermediate the said beams.

5. The track construction` specified in claim 4, in which the railbearing beams are constructed of material possessing suficientelasticity to provide for a slight yielding flexion yof the beams atpointsrintermediate the stringers.

6. The track construction specified in claim t in which both the railbearing beams and the stringers are constructed of metal possessingsuflicient inherent elasticity to provide for resilient flexion of thebeams intermediate the stringers and a like 'flexion of the stringersintermediate the underlying stringer supports.

7'. In a track construction, the combination of a series of spacedtransverse yokes presenting each a pair of horizontal railv bearingbeams integrally connected at the inner ends by a depending loop and atthe outer end to depending supporting posts, longitudinally extendingstringers underlying said posts and loop to support the yoke in positionand stringer supports underlying said stringers at points intermediatesaid yoke. y

8. A track construction, as specified in claim 7, in which the yokes andstringers are constructed of metal possessing sufficient inherentelasticity to .permit of a slight resilient flexion of the rail bearingbeams and the portions of the stringers underlying the said yokes.

9. In a track construction, the combination of a concrete bed, spacedseries of longitudinally extending stringers positioned thereon, aseries of spaced transverse rail bearing yokes supported on saidstringers and a plurality of supports interposed between the bottom ofeachstringer and the concrete bed and positioned at points intermediatesaid yokes and a concrete filling material embedding said stringers andunderlying supports therein.

10. In a track construction, the combination of a concrete bed, spacedparallel series of longitudinally extending `stringers embedded in theconcrete, a plurality of spaced supporting plates also embedded in theconcrete beneath each of said stringers to pro-v vide spaced points ofrigid support therefor and a series of transversely extending yokessupported on said'stringers at points intermediate the underlyingStringer supports, said yokes being constructed of. metal possessingsuiiicient inherent elasticity to permit a slight flexion of the railbearing portions of the yokes.

11. In a railway track construction, the combination of spaced supports,a resiliently flexible beam resting on and bridging between saidsupports and track rails secured on the beam, said beam flexing be-`tween said supports to yield f underload on said rails to therebycushion .the travel ot cars oversaid rails. f 12. A yoke of thecharacter, described presenting` rail bearing beams bridging spaced.points ofV support formed integral therewith, said yoke beingconstructed of metal possessing suiiicient inherenty elasticity toprovide for a slight resilient flexion of the beams intermediate saidsupport.

13. VIn a trackof the character described, a bed structure comprising aseries of longitudinally extending stringers arranged in spacedparallelism and a series of spaced supports underlying each stringer,said stringers being constructed of metal vpossessing suiiicientinherent elasticity to provide for a slight flexion of Vthe stringersintermediate said supports.

14. A bed structure according to claim 5 in which the stringers andunderlying supe ports are embedded in a supporting concrete foundation.15. In a track construction, the combination of transversely extendingrail bearing beams and a plurality of transversely spaced stringersunderlying eachv beam at points out of vertical alignment with the railbearing portions of the beam. Y

16. The track construction specified in cla-im 1, in which the stringersare constructed of elastic metal, to provide4 for vertical flexion ofthe stringers intermediate the underlying stringer supports.

17. A yoke presenting aligned rail bearing beams, a center supportconnected to and depending from the inner ends of the beams anddepending from the outer ends, of the beams.`

18. In a railway track construction'the combination of rigidV supportingmembers ar-lranged in spaced rows with the members of each row spacedapart, a flexible stringcr resting on the top of and bridging betweenthe supporting members of each series, crossV beams engaging with saidstringers intermediate said supporting members and rail beams secured tosaid cross beams, said stringers flexing between said supporting membersto yield under load on said rails to thereby cushion the travel of carsover said rails.

20. In a railway track construction' the combination of a rigidsupporting structure comprising spaced apart members, an interand a pairof outer supports connected tov Y mediate *supporti-ng structuresupported en said :members flan/d bridging therebetween andwatracklstructure comprising cross' beams and rails directly securedI thereon,`said' cross beams' engaging-With said Vintermediate 4supportingstructure intermediate the. airfaresaid members and lsnijd supportingstructure being *vertically lexiblelwhereby; tor'yiefld to permit`bodily -Vert'ieal give of said track structure during travelg of leedslthereon.

In testimony whereof I hereunto-affix my signature. Y Y

-VROBERT H. fPmLLiPs.

